For The Love Of One
by Paige42
Summary: Spike's angry, hungry and lonley... till his car breaks down in a ghost town.


TITLE: For The Love Of One   
AUTHOR: Sam (Lestrade42@aol.com)  
DISTRIBUTION: Spike Girls, Mummies Kittens, OzMIA. Anyone else, just let me know.  
RATING: R (for language, violence, sexual content)  
FEEDBACK: Obscenity! Oh, sorry. Inside joke. Yes, feedback please.   
DISCLAIMER: Joss owns the gang. I own Lillith and Colin. Takes place pre-Graduation.  
  
I had this really strange adventure with Karen last night and a weird dream. This is what resulted.   
________________________________________________________________________  
  
For The Love Of One   
  
Spike kicked the tire. Stupid damn car. After staring at it for 10 minutes, demanding it to magically re-inflate itself, Spike gave up and started walking to the nearest sign of civilization. He would never get to Dru at this rate. He groaned as his head swam. When was the last time he ate? He would have to find someone quick.  
After a half hour of wandering, Spike finally reached a small, desert town. For all he knew he was somewhere in the middle of Texas. There was a small road sign on the path he was walking. It read 'Empire, Texas'. The population had been crossed out several times. It looked like it started out as 150 but now read 15. Spike suddenly wished he had his car. He satisfied himself by just kicking the brace out from under it and watching it fall to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust in it's wake. He felt better.   
Wind blew sand around and a few tumbleweeds past in front of him. It looked like a typical ghost town. There was no one in sight. Spike turned slightly. There was a sound coming from around the corner. Humming or singing. Female. Spike smiled. Dinner is served.  
Spike rounded the corner. It was a playground. Or at least, it was. Most of the swings were broken. The monkey bars looked like they had been attacked with a blowtorch. There was something laying halfway down the slide. It looked like a dog. On closer inspection, it turned out to be the body of a small child. Spike turned the child's head and snarled. Teeth marks. Someone had just had him for dinner. The humming got louder. Spike turned to where the sound was emanating from. There was a small baseball diamond. A dark figure was sitting in a small pile of dirt at home plate.  
Spike made his way quietly to the diamond. It was a girl. She was tracing her fingers through the sand. Her skin was the color of ivory. She was in a deep, purple dress. Her hair the color of blood. Spike was entranced. She looked like...  
A twig snapped. The girl spun around. She bared her fangs, eyes blazing. Spike stepped forward, but the girl took off towards first base.  
"Dru?"  
Spike ran after the girl. "Dru!" He finally caught up with her and spun her around. He wanted to see storym, blue eyes. But he found green. Large, green eyes. The spell was broken. She wasn't his Dru. She pulled her arm away.   
"Get off!" SHe hissed at him and slowly backed away.  
"Hey, calm down kid. I'm just looking for a gas station." Spike held her gaze. She was very much like Dru. Long, dark hair. Bright eyes. Pale as death.  
"Hey friend. What are you staring at?" This voice was new. A shadow came from around the bullpen. A man stepped out. Spike growled just enough to show his fangs.  
"Oh we'll have none of that now. You walked into our little slice of hell here. Did you expect to just walzt in a take over?" Spike could see him better now. He was a tall man, brown hair and black eyes. He noticed that the girl backed away with every work this man said. And the man seemed to notice it too.  
"Come now, Lillith. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend here?"  
Lillith's step faultered. "I... I just met him Colin. I swear. He says he's just looking for a gas station. That's all. Weren't you?" Here eyes pleaded to Spike.   
"That's right, mate. I'm on a little road trip and I blew a tire."  
Colin looked at Lillith. "Well, let's see if we can lend a hand. I'll find Manny and he can take a look at it for you. What's the name, friend?"  
"Spike."  
"Well Spike, why don't you grab a snack while you wait. Lillith will show you the way. Won't you darling?"  
Lillith shook her head.   
Colin glared at her. In the blink of an eye he was standing in front of her. He pulled his hand back and slapped her. She fell back without making a sound.  
Spike instantly decided that he hated this man.  
"I believe I asked you a question, didn't I?" He screamed.  
Lillith brushed her hand across her mouth. It came away sticky. "Yes Colin. I'll show him where to go."  
"That's better." Then he turned to Spike. "Welcome to Empire."  
As he walked away, Spike hurried to Lillith's side. "You alright, love?"  
She turned away from him. "Fine." As she tried to lift herslef up, her hands slipped in the blood on the sand. Spike caught her. She looked shocked. Then a smile crossed her lips. Spike found himself smiling to.  
"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to help."  
"Why do you let him treat you like that?" Spike hardly noticed that her was still holding onto her.  
"It's a long story. It's not that bad really. Colin just likes to take his frustrations out on someone. Usually it just turns out that I'm the closest someone."  
Spike got his first good look at her. She was as tall as he was, slender and dark. And, he guessed, relativly young.  
"He your sire, then?"  
She sighed. "Yeah. It's that obvious?"  
"A little. But I cna see why he picked you." Oh My God, thought Spike, why the hell did I just say that?  
Lillith almost blushed. "Ah.. Thank you. Um... Let me show you the town."  
Oh well, since I stuck my foot in it already... "Would you like to have dinner?"  
SHe smiled and pointed to the slide. "Thanks. But I already ate." With that, she turned on her heal and walked to the lights beyond the ball field.  
Spike noticed as she left the scent that followed. Lavander. It was as though she had pulled the flowers off the tree and just rubbed them all over herself.   
"Woah."  
"What did you say?"  
"Nothing. I'm coming."  
Spike watched Lillith the whole way into town. He hadn't seen anymore people around. Just her and the Colin bastard. Spike really wanted to punch him.   
Lillith dropped back. "Penny for them."  
Spike snapped out of his revere. "Huh?"  
She smiled. She has such a beautiful smile, he thought. "You look deep in thought. Anything in particular?"  
"I was wondering where everyone else was. It seems kinda empty."  
"Ah... Well, Empire's a bit of a mess really. When Colin and I first got here, it was a pretty big town. We got stuck here, kinda like you did. Well, Colin went crazy and started killing people left and right. He brought too many across. The food supply started to get low. Now there's only a few left. Colin keeps them locked up in the school building. Now we only eat every few days."  
"Well why don't you just leave?"  
"Colin refuses to. He says this is his town. Human's should learn to fear us." Spike could here the sarcasm in her voice. "Yeah, they're really gonna learn a lesson 150 from a major city. We grab whatever tourists pass through." She sighed. "But enough about me. What are you doing way out here?"  
Spike lit a cigarette, then offered her one.   
"Oh, I haven't had one of these in so long!" She lit hers from the end of Spike's. Lillith took a long drag, then let the smoke curl out from between her lips. "Thank you."  
"No problem, love."  
"Here we are. Home, Sucky Home. I'll show you around."  
It was, indeed, an old abandon school building. There was music coming from the basement. Lillith led the way down. As they passed through the doors of the gymnasium, the music grew louder. The air was thick with fog from stage smoke machines. It looked a little like the Bronze. People danced everywhere. There was a thick, musty odor in the place. Lillith saw Spike turn his nose up.  
"Colin had all the other doors and windows lock up so none of the 'animals' could get out. He hates running after his dinner." She smiled and motioned for him to follow.   
All around young vampires danced. There were a few couples making out in the background. Every kind of alcohol was passed from one person to the next.   
Lillith led Spike to the bar. There was a large man behind it passing out the booze. "Hey Ace! Got a friend in need of a meal. What have we got tonight?"  
Ace looked behind him thought a small cage door. "Looks like, Ms. Peterson, the PE teacher. Plenty of meat on her bones. That okay, pal?"  
"Yeah, that's fine."   
Ace smiled and pulled a set of keys from his belt. He opened the cage door and ushered Spike inside. "Now, don't make to much of a mess, hear me?"  
"Wouldn't dream of it."  
Ace smiled and closed the door. In the corner of the room, a large women in a tracksuit shook.   
Spike smiled and licked his lips. "Well, hello teacher."  
  
***  
Ace unlocked the cage door. Spike wandered out, a smile on his lips.  
"Thanks. I fell much better. Where's Lillith?"  
Ace pointed to the end of the bar. She had gotten changed while Spike was... having dinner. She was in a camisole top and short, black skirt. Her long hair was braided around her head, a la Princess Leia. "Damn."  
"Wouldn't let Colin hear you say that. He'd rip your face off and reattach it upside down on your ass for that."  
Spike smiled, then grabbed Ace by the neck and slammed his head on the bar. "No one tells me what to do. I don't care if he's bleeding Christ. I'll do what I like and I'll take what I like." He let go and made his way to Lillith. She smiled at him, shyly.  
"What did Ace say?"  
"Nothing worth repeating." Suddenly the music went up a notch. It was "Push It" by Garbage. Lillith started to sway in her chair.  
His own words came flooding back to him. 'I'll do what I like and I'll take what I like.' Spike put out his hand. "Wanna dance, pet?"  
Spike led Lillith onto the dance floor. Most people didn't even notice them. They were dancing away in their own alcoholic daze. Lillith smiled as she spun around, her back to Spike. Her hips began to sway slightly. Spike moved closer and placed his hands on her hips. He started to move in motion with her. Lillith backed up slowly, her back brushing against Spike's chest. Her smell filled Spike's mind. Everyone around them disappeared. There was no music, just a pounding. Spike wrapped his arms around Lillith's waist. Her hair brushed his cheek softly.   
  
***  
  
Ace picked up the phone and dialed quickly. "Colin? Ace. Yeah, I think you should get over here. Oh yeah, Lillith brought him all right. And he's enjoying himself an awful lot."  
  
***  
  
Spike tilted his head so it would rest on Lillith's shoulder. He opened his mouth slightly and let his fangs brush against her collarbone. He felt a shiver pass through her. She turned around slowly to face him. She brought her arms up slowly then wrapped them around his neck. Lillith traced her fingers up and down the back of Spike's neck.   
"Hey Lillith!"  
Lillith pulled away as Ace walked up to them.  
"Colin will be here in a few minutes. Your pals car is fixed." Then he fixed Spike with a icy stare. "You can leave. Now."  
"I'll leave when I'm good and ready, pal."  
"Spike, no. He'll be ready. Just have Colin bring the car around. Come on." She pulled him towards the back rooms.  
They wound up in the storage room. Spike pulled his hand away. "What the hell do you think your doing?" Spike could almost make out her shadow shaking in the dim light of the closet.  
"If he saw us together, who knows what would have happened."  
"Oh for God's sake, stand up to the man! "  
Lillith spun around, her eyes blazing. "I did stand up to him once!" She turned again and pulled up the back of her camisole. "And this is what he did to me." The skin was burned and blistered. Spike could make out outlines of crucifix burns. They covered almost the whole of her lower back. If you looked closely at the small of her back, you could almost see her spinal column. Then he noticed that they were on her legs too.   
"He tied me down. He placed crosses on my back and legs, spilled holy water on me, set parts of my ablaze. It's taken almost 25 years for it to heal this much. So, I try not to make him to angry with me." Tears started spilling from her eyes. She started to pull down her shirt, but Spike stopped her.   
"Does it hurt?"  
"Sometimes."  
Spike's hand traced her spine. He pulled her closer. "How about now?"  
She tilted her head up to him. "No."   
Spike brought her mouth to his. At first she seemed hesitant, still thinking of the consequences. Then she wrapped her arms around him. He broke away and started to trace his lips along her neck. Lillith pulled back and took Spike by the hand. She sat down on the floor, leading him along.   
"What about Colin?"  
"I don't care," she said as she kissed him again.   
Spike let his hands run along her body. He reached her back, she gasped.  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's all right. I can fix that." Lillith pulled the camisole over her head and let it drop to the floor.  
"Oh..."  
  
***  
  
Colin walked onto the dance floor. "Where is she?"  
Ace walked over to him. "Ah....She is the back room. With the newbie."  
"Hmm... Wonder what their doing." Colin smiled.  
"Want me to get the boys, boss?"  
"Oh no, Ace. Leave them be for now. I'll get them later. How long has it been since we've had a public execution?"  
  
***  
  
Spike passed Lillith a cigarette, then kissed her forehead. "How long has it been?"  
She blew a cloud of blue smoke into the air. "Way to long." She smiled and snuggled closer to Spike.   
"So, what happens now?"  
Lillith almost dropped her cigarette. "I... I don't know."  
"I do. You're coming with me."  
"What?"  
"Come with me. To California. Screw this guys. You'll be some much better without them. And Sunnydale's the perfect place for you."  
"Spike..."  
He bent down and kissed her quickly. "Please."  
Lillith sighed. "All right. We'll have to sneak past Ace." She jumped up and opened the door a crack. "Let's go."  
Lillith led the way through the dance floor, Spike in tow. They reached the door and suddenly the lights snapped on.  
"Going somewhere, darling?"  
The entire crowd was watching Spike and Lillith. Ace was leading a small group towards them.   
Colin jumped down from the bar. "So, Spike, how was she? Was it good?"  
Spike barred his fangs as Ace made to take Lillith. "Back off, mate."  
Ace punched Spike, then threw him down the small staircase. The other goons grabbed Lillith.  
Spike struggled to get up, but Ace hit him in the back of the head with a pipe. A cloud passed over Spike's mind. The last thing he heard was Lillith screaming his name.  
  
***  
  
Spike's eyes slowly worked their way open. He heard a crowd shouting. Oh God, he thought, I can't feel my arms. The he awoke fully. He was on a stage in the front of the dance floor. He's arms were chained to two posts. Colin was parading in front of the crowd, working them into a frenzy. There was a box next to him, an ax leaning against it.  
"Bring her in!" he screamed.  
Ace and one other goon dragged Lillith to the stage. Her body was covered with fresh burns and blisters. All of her skin was bright red. One eye was completely covered in melted flesh. Her hair was falling off in clumps. Ace threw her to Colin's feet.  
"Let this be a lesson to everyone. Defy me and this is what will happen."  
Spike pulled on the chains. The cuffs started to rip into his wrists.  
Colin smiled as he threw Lillith towards the box. Her head connected with the top and just lay there. Colin picked up the ax.  
Spike thrashed around. "Let her go you son of a bitch!"  
Colin laughed as her brought the ax down.  
"SPI..." Lillith head fell onto the stage and rolled towards the crowd. They screamed and laughed. Lillith's body turned into a pile of ash.  
"No!" Spike screamed. He pulled once again on the chains. One of the posts snapped. Ace ran forward to stop him. Spike grabbed a piece of the post and threw it at him. The stake struck home. Ace looked dazed for a minute, then disappeared into a cloud of gray.  
Spike pulled the other arm free and dove at the crowd. They all ran away. Other than Colin, no one else had dared kill another vampire. Spike hit the ground running and made his way to the only door in the school.  
"Get him you idiots! Stop him!" Colin looked down at the pile that had been Lillith. He kicked at it, furious that someone had dared to stand up to him.  
Spike fell through the door. All he saw was red. She was going to go with him. He was going to be happy. She was going to be with him in Sunnydale. Oh, what fun they would have had. Spike spied a fire ax. He grabbed and shoved it in-between the handles of the door. "Get though that, you bastards." Then he had an idea.   
Lillith's voice came flooding back to him..."Colin had all the other doors and windows locked up so none of the 'animals' could get out. He hates running after his dinner."   
A smile crossed his lips.  
  
***  
  
"What the hell's the problem," Colin screamed.  
"The door's jammed, boss."  
"Well, break it open you morons! I want that bastard!"  
Suddenly a girl in the background screamed. "Fire! The building's on fire!"  
Colin smelled the smoke. Everyone started panicking. They tried to open the old boarded up windows and doors.  
"I got it open," someone screamed. The crowd ran forward through the main door. Suddenly flames burst through the door. Everyone who had been rushing to get out was burnt instantly. The fire spread quickly over the spilt alcohol. Colin laughed as the flames rushed towards him. He took one last look at Lillith's ashes. "Finally got your revenge didn't you, you bi..." The flames engulfed him.  
  
***  
  
Spike sat back and watched the flames eat away at the old schoolhouse. He waited until all the screaming had stopped. He watched longer, until the flames started to die down. And still he waited. It wasn't until the sun started to peak over the desert plain that he moved. Quickly, he threw himself into the back seat of his car. Spike pulled his duster up around his chin and settled down to sleep. He would have a long drive ahead of him.   
If anyone had survived the fire, they could have sworn they saw a single tear in the corner of Spike's eye.  
  
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End file.
